Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Solid"

You love planes
You like explosions
A cool-beans story floats your boat

If one or any of the 3 above apply to you, then H.A.W.X. is a good bet. The graphics are quite good, the story is semi-original (anything that's not a horrible cliche is OK in my book)

You start out as a pilot working for the air force in an elite squadron, you get laid off, then hired by a pseudo-benevolent company to be a mercenary. Charming, right?

All the game play elements are there, and the game is arcade-y enough for novice pilots, realistic enough for more experienced players.

All in all, a fantastic game.

Now for the sad part:
The FLAWS :(
-Graphics are a bit out of scale

-The ground are unimpressive at low altitudes

-You don't get to destroy anything you want (Only specific
objects have damage models or show any effects from blasting them)

-Poor damage model (Black marks on buildings, basically nothing on your plane)

But overall, a must-buy, especially since the game is like 3 years old and is now $15 on Steam